This New Year Make These 5 Resolutions To Keep Your Kidneys Healthy

The beginning of a new year involves making new resolutions and following them throughout the year. This year will be a bit crucial as we are amidst of a pandemic and no matter what, we have to strictly abide by the decisions we will be making for our health especially our vital organs including kidneys. Kidneys helps in filtering waste products, excess water, and other impurities from blood. These waste products are stored in bladder and later expelled through urine. Besides these kidneys also regulate pH, salt, and potassium levels in the body and also produce hormones that regulate blood pressure and control production of red blood cells. Our kidneys are also responsible for activating vitamin D that helps our body absorb calcium for building bones and regulating muscle function.

Here are some ways you can keep your kidneys healthy:

1. Regular exercise is the key

Keeping yourself active not only helps you maintain a healthy weight but also imparts other benefit to your body. Stay physically also helps to keep kidney ailments at bay. In addition to that, regular exercise controls blood sugar in diabetics, reduces blood pressure and boosts heart health and these all are pivotal in preventing kidney damage. Exercising doesn't mean longs sessions at the gym. Moderate exercise techniques like running, cycling and even taking up any dance form can do wonders. Take up such activities which you enjoy and can stick to it to yield better results.

2. Make habit of drinking loads of water

Drinking water consistently is good for kidney health. The goal should be drinking sufficient quantity of water. Water helps to flush out toxins by the kidneys, thereby lowering the risk of kidney diseases. Intake of water actually depends on many factors including health, climate, gender, level of physical activity, presence/absence of AC and other health conditions. People, who have a history of kidney stones, should drink more water to help prevent stone deposits in the future.

Also read: All About Kidney Stones

3. Say no to smoking

Since smoking besides causing other damaging effects also damages the blood vessels, thus limiting the blood flow in the kidneys. Smoking increases the risk of developing renal cell carcinoma, a kind of kidney cancer. The risk of getting RCC gets dropped if you quit smoking.

4. Get your kidney tested regularly if you're at risk

These are the following people who have the maximum chances of contracting kidney disease:

• Senior citizens
• People who were born with low birth weight
• Having cardiovascular issues, high blood pressure and obesity
• Diabetics

Through the regular kidney function test and urine examination, a person can know about his kidney's health. Knowing about your kidney's health and early detection of any disorder can help to limit the future damage.

Also read: Top Nephrologist Gives 5 Tips To Protect Your Kidneys For Life

5. Promise to reduce the intake of OTC pills

Take medicines only when the doctor has recommended it. Taking medicine on the drop of a hat can make you prone to kidney disease. OTC painkillers can damage kidneys. Consult your doctor first before opting for kidney-safe treatments in case you're nurturing pain.

(Dr. Deepak Dewan, MD, DM (Nephrology), Director Renal Sciences, Regency Superspeciality Hospital)

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